Automatic power transmission



' Oct; 11, 1960 w. J. RYAN 42,955,477

AUTOMATIC POWER TRANSMISSION Original Filed Sept. 26, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR l|||lIl| fi/ W/// 0 6 a United States PatentfO AUTOMATIC POWER TRANSMISSION H a William J. Ryan, 601 S. l ennsylvania St, Denver, Colo.

Original application Sept. 26,1951, Ser. No. 248,315. and this application Jan. 25, 1954, SenNo.

8 Claims. (Cl. 74-190) This invention relates to improvements in an automatic powertransmission, and more particularly to a reaction controlled, progressively variable speed controlling automatic power transmission which is particularly well suited for use in automotive vehicles. This application is a division of my co-pending patent applica tion, Serial No. 248,315, filed September 26, 1951 and 1 2 trol device, and in which the parts are so related that the range of variability required in the speed control device is small.

A further objectflof the invention is-to provide a device of'this'character having a novel friction drive, variable speed control mechanism;

A further object of the invention is to provide a trans mission which will normally operate in a direct drive or overdrive relation at both fast and slow vehicle speeds and at all times except when the vehicle is starting or is subjected to a heavy pull, as when accelerating rapidly or when climbing a. steep grade.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an axial sectional view of a speed control device forming an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an axial sectional view similar to Fig. l, but illustrating the parts in a different adjustment; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse, sectional view taken on line 7-'--7 of 'Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates one embodi ment of the invention, a drive shaft 10 mounts a plane'- tary carrier 16 with its stud shafts or spindles 17 which journal planet gears 18. An output ring gear 21 is con- 1 nected by means of a spider or yoke 22 with the driven device, when the reaction gear is operated at thesame speed as the drive member, all of the gearing will be in direct drive; when the reaction gear is allowed to revolve at a certain speed above the speed of the drive shaft, the transmission will be in neutral; when the reaction gear is driven faster than its speed for neutral setting, the transmission will be in reverse; and, when the reaction gear is held at a speed slower than that of'the drive shaft, the transmission will be an over-drive.

A further object is to provide a transmission device having an epicyclic gearing, wherein a reaction gear has a multiplying leverage through planetary gearing in allowing a drive member to overrun a driven member so that in the very low speed range, as when starting a load, the torque applied to the reaction member will be small, but will increase progressively as operation of the transmission progressively absorbs the starting load until the transmission reaches direct drive, and wherein the planet gearing will continue to take a portion of the torque reaction pressure when the device is in direct drive.

A further object is to provide a transmission device having a planetary gearing, wherein the peripheral dimension of the sun gear which controls torque reaction is small compared to the output gear, so that the reaction controlling the sun gear will have a corresponding leverage which acts in the device with the reduction offered shaft 12. A sun gear 19 rotatably-encircles and is journaled upon the drive shaft 10, and the planet gears 18 each mesh with the sun gear 19 and the output ring gear 21. The drive shaft 10 includes a forwardly projecting pilot portion 14 which is journaled in a bearing sleeve 15 received in a recess in the end of the driven shaft 12.

The sun gear 19 has 'an elongated hub or sleeve portion 40 journaled on the shaft 10. To this hub portion 40 is keyed at 41 a planet carrier 42 of a secondary planetary or epicyclic gear system. This planet carrier 42 includes one or more stud shafts 43, each of which rotatably supports a secondary planet gear 44. An internally toothed secondary ring gear 45 encircles the sleeve 40 and shaft 10 concentrically therewith and meshes with the secondary planet gear or'gears 44. This secondary ring gear 45 is carried by a spider 46 or the like, mounted upon a hub 47 which is journaled as by hearing 48 upon the sleeve '40. The secondary epicyclic gearing system includes a sun gear member 50 journaled upon the sleeve 40 as by a bearing 51 and meshing with the secondary planet gear or gears 44. A plate or spider 52 connects the secondary sun gear 50 with the primary output ring gear 21.

The gearing is preferably encased within a housing 53 from which the sleeve 40 projects rotatably as through 'a hearing or journal 54. The housing 53 also includes a by the equalizer or planet gears to reduce reaction torque at the sun gear to a small fraction of that applied to the output gear while in direct drive, whereby the torque reaction may be taken effectively by 'a variable speed mechanism. of a type capable of transmitting only-a small torque compared to the torque required at the output J member.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having a primaryplanetary gearing system and a secondary planetary gearing system in which a planet gear carrier of the secondary system is directly connected to journal portion 55 in which the output shaft 12 is journaled and through which said output shaft projects.

This embodiment of the invention minimizes the range of variability required in the variable control mechanism (to be described) without increasing the torque reaction applied to that mechanism.

In this device the primary torque reaction is divided or directed into two paths. One reaction is in the nature of regenerative power applied from the secondary sun gear 50 to the output ring gear 21. The other path of reaction is a secondary reaction controlled by the variable control mechanism and its connection with the secondary ring gear 45.

At very low output speeds, as in starting from neutral, the primary reaction torque pressure oifered to the secondary epicyclic gearing system and to the variable con trol is small. As the transmission gradually comes to "a direct drive, the reaction torque pressure graduallyincreases. The portion of the torque reaction pressure whichisappliecl to the secondary epicyclic-gearing and 3 a to the variable speed reaction control is divided between those parts so that the variable speed control device is called upon to withstand or take up only a small torque reaction. When the device .isin direct drive,-the secondary gearing will 'be locked 138 -a single unit by the variable control so that stibstanitally all of the primary torque reaction will be applied to the output member and only a very small or negligible part of the primary torque reaction will be applied 'to the variable control. i

One characteristic of the linvenfion is that ithas a high speed of rotation 'in the torque reaction path, and

particularly 'in the secondary epicyclic gearing;

high speed operation continues only during perat'ionof the device in neutral, andprogressively decreases as the device operates .and approaches a direct drive, at which the parts all revolve at the same speed. The invention also provides proper speed ratios in backlash decelerating efliect. a

The .device requires comparatively high .speed operation of the speed control .at neutral setting, and an even higher speed for a reverse operation of .the output shaft, and it is this speed of operation which produces the ''low torque reaction pressure applied to the control/This same relation of the parts also provides for an :overdriving relation, especially if the gear reduction at the rear axle of the motor vehicle employing the device .is somewhat less than standard present article.

In the operation of the device it will be apparent that, when the device is starting .from a stopped position, the rotation of drive shaft will :cause rotation of the planet carrier 16 and the planet gears 18 of the primary epicyclic gearing which tends to operate the sun gear 19 at a high speed. This speed is applied to the planet carrier 42 of the secondary epicyclic .gearing which is .converted into rotation of the outer ring gear 45 of the secondary gearing. The variable speed control mechanism, to be described, driven from the sun .gear 19 of the primary epicyclic gearing, absorbs or takes .up a torque reaction. Thus, assuming that the variable .speed control mechanism is normally positioned in a neutral setting, adjustment of the speed control in one direction will cause a reduction in the speed of rotation of the outer ring gear 45 of the secondary epicyclic .gcaringvand, as this reduction occurs, an increase in the regenerative action applied at the secondary sun gear 150 will occur, which is in turn .applied to the .outerring gear 21 of the primary gearing. This Will result in a reduction of the speed of rotation of the secondary planet carrier 42 and of the sun gear 19, thus increasing the speed of the outer ring gear 21 of the epicyclic gearing.

In the speed control mechanism here shown, a rigid disk 80 is mounted upon the outer end of the sleeve 40 having a hub 81 which is keyed to said sleeve at 82. The disk 80 has a cylindrical flange '83 at-its outer margin and an annular resilient member 84 is marginally secured to said flange as by a clamping ring '85. The annular resilient member 84 has a resilient inner rim portion or .bead 86 of enlarged cross-sectional dimension.

An annular carrier 88, mounted adjustably for movement toward and from centered relation with the sleeve 40, has journaled therein, as by the bearings 89, a cylindrical member 90 having. an internal bore much larger than the external cross-sectional diameter of the sleeve 40 which it encircles. Upon one end of the cylindrical member 90 is mounted a pulley flange 91 having a V-shaped peripheral pulley groove 92. The pulley 91., 92 is so proportioned in size to the size of the annular member 84 and its inner head 86 that, when the ,parts are concentric as illusttrated in Fig. 1, the head 86 will have a wedged continuous frictional driving :engage'ment in the pulley groove 92. When-the member 88 is shifted tomove the cylinder 90 and the pulley r91, .92 into offcenter relation with lrespect to the sleeve 40. and the Iremaining parts, the resilient member 84, which preferably is' formed of natural rubber or synthetic rubber, will be stretched as illustrated in Fig. 3, so that the pulley 91, 92 will be caused to operate at a greater speed than the sleeve 40, the disk and the resilient ring 84.

The cylindrical member fixedly mounts at the end thereof opposite the pulley 91 and between its carrier 88 and the ,gear housing 53, a circular housing part, here illustrated as consisting of the outwardly projecting wall portion :95, and a marginal portion 96 of arched axial cross-sectional shape. .A cylindrical resilient member '97. i's anchored at its opposite ends at 98 to the longitudinally spaced parts of the member 96, whereby its-central portion is normally spaced inwardly from the crown or central portion of the member 96. The cylindrical resilient member 97 will preferably be provided with a central circumferential internal projecting part or rib 99 which maybe of any suitable cross-sectional shape, beingillustrated in'Fig. 1 .as of part-circular cross-section and being illustrated in Fig. '2 as of comparatively fla't cross-section. A pulley member 100 has an external circurnferential configuration to receive the circumferential rib 99, which preferably constrictivcl-y fits thereon to provide a direct drive relation between the parts when the member'88 is positioned concentrically of the sleeve 40 as illustrated in Fig. 1. The pulley member 100 is mounted upon the hub portion 47 of the carrier 46 for the outer ring gear of the secondary epicyclic gearing of the gearing unit, being journaled externally upon the sleeve 40 by means of bearing 48, said sleeve 47 projecting externally from the housing 53. The housing 53 willbe provided with a journal 54 which encircles the hub portion 47.

It will be apparent that the movement of the ,rnembers 88 and 90 between concentric and eccentric relation with reference to the sleeve 40 will change the drivjing relation between the resilient rib 99 and the pulley .100, and between the bead 86 and the pulley 91, 92, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. Thus, when the parts are arranged concentrically in full peripheral contact, a one-to-one drive ratio will exist between the parts 99 and 100 and between the parts 84 and 91. As soon, however, as the parts 88 and 90 are moved off-center with respect to the sleeve 40, the resilient members 84 and .97 are distorted and stretched as illustrated in Fig. '2, and their respective contacts with their pulleys are limited to a partial peripheral contact only. This contact is substantially the same at the two pulleys 91 and 100, but the frictional driving contacts at said pulleys are located diametrically oppositely, as .best seen in Fig. 2. In the neutral drive position of the mechanism, the parts 88 and 90 will be positioned off-center with reference to the sleeve 40. When the partsare in direct drive, the parts 88 and 90 will be concentric with the sleeve 40, as illustrated-in Fig. 5. When a reverse drive is desired, the off-center relation relative to the parts 88 and 90 relative to the hub 40 will be increased greater than the eccentricity of said parts for the neutral adjustment.

It will be understood that the Fig. 2 adjustment of the .parts is extreme and beyond that which normally would be required for operative neutral setting of the mechanism. One featureillustrated in Fig. 2 is to be observed, however, and that is that the stretching of the member 84 by the pulley 9'1 entails a reduction of the cross-sectional dimension of the head 86. The normal cross-section of the bead 86 is preferably slightly greater than the width of the mouth of the tapered groove 92 so that it has a wedge fit in said groove. As the bead is stretched and its cross-section is reduced, it will sink deeper into the tapered groove 92. The decrease in cross-section of the bead and the sinking of the bead deeper into the groove supplements the speed changing action resulting from the eccentric movement of the parts so that a small amount of eccentricity between the parts 88 and 40 will 75 produce a substantial change in the speed ratio. The

speed change will, of course, essentially result trom the fact that the stretching of member 84 increases the length of the inner periphery of said member at the bead 86. The same result occurs when the pulley 100 moves to an eccentric position with respect to the circumferential resilient rib 99. I

I claim:

1. A variable speed mechanism having a driving member, a driven member axially aligned with said driving member, one of said members including a pulley, the other member including a yieldable resilient and extensible annular member, a member shiftable bodily relative to said driving and driven members between concentric and off-center positions relative thereto, and a rotatable unit journaled by said shiftable member and including a second pulley encircled by and having frictional driving engagement with said annular member, and a second annualr yieldable resilient and extensible member encircling and having friction driving engagement with said first pulley.

2. A variable speed mechanism comprising frictionally engaging parts including a pulley and a resilient extensible belt encircling said pulley, and means for shifting one of said parts relative to the other between concentric and predetermined eccentric positions to stretch said belt and thereby vary the ratio of driving speed between said parts, said belt having continuous peripheral driving engagement with said pulley when said parts are concentric.

3. A variable speed mechanism comprising frictionally engaging parts including a pulley and a resilient extensible belt encircling said pulley, and means for shifting one of said parts relative to the other to stretch said belt and thereby vary the ratio of driving speed between said parts, said pulley having a peripheral V-shaped groove and said belt including a bead portion normally seating in said groove adjacent the mouth thereof, said bead portion reducing in cross-scctional dimension as said belt is stretched so that it may progressively seat deeper in said groove as said belt is progressively stretched.

4. A variable speed mechanism comprising frictionally engaging parts including a pulley and a resilient extensible belt encircling said pulley, and means for shitting one of said parts relative to the other to stretch said belt and thereby vary the ratio of driving speed between said parts, said belt constituting a sheet of resilient material adapted to be anchored to a support adjacent its outer margin and having a central opening defining a pulley engaging inner margin.

5. A variable speed mechanism comprising t'rictionally engaging parts including a pulley and a resilient extensible belt encircling said pulley, and means for shifting one of said parts relative to the other to stretch said belt and thereby vary the ratio of driving speed between said parts, said belt constituting a sheet of resilient material adapted to be anchored to a support adjacent its outer margin and having a central opening outlined by a marginal bead portion of greater cross-sectional dimension than said sheet.

6. A variable speed mechanism comprising trictionally engaging parts including a pulley and 'a resilient extensible belt encircling said pulley, and means for shifting one of said parts relative to the other between concentric and predetermined eccentric positions to stretch said belt and thereby vary the ratio of driving speed between said parts, said belt constituting a substantially cylindrical member adapted to be anchored to a rotatable support at its opposite ends and having an annular portion of increased thickness intermediate its ends firictionally engaging said pulley.

7. A variable speed mechanism comprising a unit including a pair of concentric relatively rotatable parts, a rotatable second unit encircling a portion of said first unit, means for bodily shifting one unit relative to the other transverse of the axis of said rotatable parts, and a friction drive between said second unit and the respective rotatable parts of said first unit and including a pair of pulleys and a resilient extensible belt encircling each pulley and having frictional driving engagement therewith, said belts being stretched upon displacement of said units from concentric relation.

8. A variable speed mechanism comprising a unit including a'pair of concentric relatively rotatable parts, a. rotatable second unit encircling a portion of said first unit, means for bodily shifting one unit relative to the other transverse or the axis of said rotatable parts, and a friction drive between said second unit and the respective rotatable parts of said first unit and including a pair of pulleys and a resilient extensible belt encircling each pulley and having frictional driving engagement therewith, said belt being stretched upon displacement of said units from concentric relation, one of said rotatable parts mounting one of said pulleys and the other rotatable part mounting one of said belts, said second unit mounting the other pulley and belt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,000,593 Happel May 7, 1935 2,186,662 Berger Jan. 9, 1940 2,247,153 Ewart June 24, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 908,450 France ..w.. Sept. 17, 1945 1,012,440 France Apr. 16, 1952 

